Persistence
by ziyadahrs
Summary: Who said the blind could not see? I may not see things how you would see them, but once I could see. And I saw. The rest now, is left up to the imagination. SasukexOc
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or anything related to it, but I do own my OC. Enjoy

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For the first time ever, I took one step down the very street my father forbade me of. It was the first time I felt anything different to grass; the ground was cold and hard, but it was pleasant. It was nice to experience something I had not before. I was use to the secluded area around my home where there was nothing but grass under my feet, but in one way or another, I was tired of the routine I had grown accustom to. I could _see_ everything around my home. I knew the land inside and out. The one thing that I knew best was that there were sixty-nine steps from the front of my household, to the main street where I wasn't allowed to go. Every Monday, I would leave my house at noon and pace sixty-nine steps until I barely felt where the grass stopped, and the street began. Then I would wait for someone to come and hand me a bag. The person always said the same thing every week.

"Necessities from the Hokage, Ma'am."

I had always wanted to meet the Hokage, yet I wasn't allowed to go out on my own. Daddy's orders; but daddy wasn't here. He hadn't been here for a long time, and I was still scared. Scared, that if I stepped foot out of the comfort zone that my father made for me, that he would come and scold me for the next eternity. He made it clear that he was serious about me respecting his orders, and I did. Daddy also made it clear that he wasn't coming back, it was time for me to make my own rules. The first thing I needed to do was find the Hokage.

I took my second step. Then my third and fourth. I soon found out that I was unconsciously pacing myself as I ventured along the road. As small smile graced my lips. I hadn't had to pace myself since I first lost my sight and had to learn where everything was again. I'm learning again. But I was not learning the right way. I had to be aware of my surroundings, and just walking out in to the open was going to be the death of me. I'm sure of it.

_Ten…nine…eight…seven…._

I cautiously stepped back, while focusing my hearing to just behind me for the moment. When I got to one, I relaxed and took a deep breath. I stepped back again and felt grass under my toes. _Good, I'm on the right track. _I then stepped forward and listened. There wasn't much noise I guess, since it is early in the morning, but I did hear a few whispers. I couldn't comprehend them, so I disregarded them for the moment. I heard chimes ringing in the air and a soft hum of music playing not too far away. The birds in the sky would chirp every few seconds, and a slight wind would pass by my face every time I looked up. I saw nothing. It had been that way for five years. My vision was never good according to my dad, but it was enough to where I could see color pretty well and I couldn't get enough of it. Before I lost my sight, my dad would always tell me to remember the basics. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and water was clear, unless in a body of water. He also said if I didn't know the color of something, then I should put a color to it. Sight was everything to my dad. He and my mother thought it would be nice to call me Karā, which loosely meant color. I think they knew I would go blind, so by naming me Karā, I would always remember what it's like to see colors. It worked too. I remember everything I saw when I was younger, but it wasn't much. So, everything I _see _from now on will be based off of my imagination alone.

After deciding that I had been standing in the same place for too long, I began to walk. This time though, I listened to my surroundings as well. It was kind of difficult to avoid people walking down the road because I was smack dab in the middle it. A few people had bumped into me by mistake, but I had kept my pace in the middle of the road. The more I walked, the more ways I found out how to avoid the people. For some, I would stop and let them pass by me, and when close to others, I would take a step to the side before stepping back to the middle. I even had to swivel around a child that almost ran into me…_twice._ After that I had to stop and refer back to my pace.

_159…160…161…162…_

I then heard someone whisper, "No, you can't play with her, she's blind. She'll just be a nuisance to you hone-"

I assumed she was an old woman as I stared in her direction. She gasped and briskly walked away, her child in tow. My eyebrow shot up as I continued to stare in that direction. Her footsteps were small heavy…maybe she was short and stout. Heavy feet, but short legs. Her child was the same, though the child's footsteps were longer. They had also smelt funny. I shook my head and continued to walk without knowing much of where I was going. I heard more whispers along the way, but I didn't pay attention to them. I kept my head high and stared out into nothingness.

_612…613…614…615…_

"Hey You!"

I slowly looked from the ground to the place straight ahead of me and waited for a second. I didn't know if this boy was talking to me or not. His voice was scratchy, but light and very loud. I then pointed to myself. Since he was still there he had to be talking about me.

"Yeah you, do me a favor and hold this for me!"

A pale of some sorts was thrust into my hand while footsteps scurried away. I felt around the object to find out that it was bucket with some sort of liquid inside it. It had a very strong odor and was very sticky to touch. There was also some sort of wooden object in the bucket, but I didn't pull it out. I imagined the liquid to be dark in color to go with the strong scent of it. I remembered that wood can be all types of colors related to brown, but this object had a sculpted shape, so it came from the inside, which was a tannish color. The bucket could be any color, so I imagined it to be black, the same color as the paint.

Before I could take another step, my arms were grabbed, and my feet left the ground. I couldn't find the words to speak as I practically flew through the air. To say I was scared was an understatement. _What if I fell, what if this person threw me!_ I began to claw at the arms that were around me with my free hand, my heart beating 100 miles per hour. The arms tightened around me, constricting the air flow to my lungs. _He's going to kill me! Oh kami, why had I not stayed away from here? _ My hand tightened around something as I struggled to breathe. Wind blew across my face, but I could not breathe it in. It was too dry.

_The bucket! Yes._

I lifted swung my hand above my head as hard as I could. I sucked in a long breath as the bucket hit its target. The hands around me release to my joy, but I began to fall to my demise…_fast. _ My scream was caught in my throat as I was speeding toward the ground. I closed my eyes ready for death…

"You can open your eyes little one."

_What?_

I opened my eyes knowing I could not see. The voice was unfamiliar, I thought it was the person who kidnapped me, so I cocked my fist back and I slapped him, hard.

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter or my story. I love comments, requests, questions, answers, and anything you can give me to critique my story! **

**Love you, ziyadahrs **


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or anything related to it, but I do own my OC. Enjoy

**A/N: So, some of you were confused, so I posted the link of a map I refer to in the bottom Author's note.**

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"Hokage-Sama!"

_I...just slapped the Hokage…_

I shyly covered my reddening face as the Hokage gently set me down. If I wasn't nervous enough as it was, I would have seriously kissed the ground in pure happiness. As I guiltily looked down, I shoved my feet individually across the ground trying to get a good feel of the rocky pavement. Anything to distract me of the awkward moment to come when he began to talking. Speaking of which, I didn't even apologize!

"I'm so sorry, sir-"

I felt the man's gaze turn to me as if he was politely waiting for me to start the conversation, "Call me Hiruzen child, just Hiruzen. If not that, you'll make a sap like me feel old! Now, what may I call such a beauty as yourself?"

"Uzumaki Karā"

I ran my wet palms up and down my pant legs while I nervously looked ahead, hoping not to be scolded. Maybe I should have gave him a fake name, then he wouldn't come after me. BUT, he's the Hokage, and he can get me killed!

"Ahem, Miss Karā, would you like to accompany me to my office? I would love to talk to you in private."

_Deep breaths...karā…deep breaths…_

I found myself hesitantly, "Could you tell me how to find this place from the main gate? You see…I live along the forest to the right to the gate, and in the middle of my pacing, some boy ran up to me and asked me if I could hold a bucket for him. Come to think of it, he ran off without another word," My eyes widened, "He set me up!"

I felt like snapping as I childishly stomped my foot on the ground. He got me good! How could I be so naïve? He could have told me that the sky was green and I probably would have believed him!

"So stupid!"

I slapped my face for good measures before I began to hear footsteps leave, "When you are ready Miss, you may follow."

I gulped before taking a step. Did he not know I was blind? If he didn't, maybe I could trick him into thinking I could see! I listened to someone take four steps before a door was opened.

_Four…three…two…one…_

I still hadn't made it to the steps, so I braced a hand out in front of me before taking some more. _Aha! _So this person's four steps was an equivalent to my six. I grabbed the door and pulled it open before walking in.

(Hokage)

I watched as the little girl shivered as she stepped into my tower. Hmmm, maybe the floor was cold. She seemed to look around, but she didn't make a move. _She's taking in her surroundings…good. _It seemed as though she stood there a good five minutes before pinpointing the direction of one of my secretaries. _Also good. _It took her twenty steps before she put her hand out took another three until her hand touched the wooden desk. A small look if acknowledgement graced her face.

"Excuse me, could you tell me the way to where the Hokage resides?"

"If you take the stairs to my left up eleven floors you'll reach a hallway with a huge door surrounded by two smaller ones. The big one is the one you're looking for."

Good thing Iruka was on duty today…anyone else would have yelled at her for being handicapped. The girl seemed to ponder it before turning to and heading towards the stairwell.

"If you were to give me an educated guess, how many stairs would you think were on every floor?"

_Smart girl_

(Main)

_63 stairs per floor times 11 floors altogether is…693 stairs._

I literally felt my heart drop down to my stomach. That's a lot. I slid across the room to the left until I felt the smooth surface of a wall under my fingers. Bracing my hand against the wall, I began to climb and soon I began to think.

Twenty-two…twenty-three…twenty-four…Twenty-five…

I really hope he doesn't punish me too bad for slapping him. It was an honest accident, and I need to apologize. He had totally disregarded the fact that I apologized earlier, so maybe he was waiting until we were alone to lay it on me. I never met anyone who had a high authority over people before…well other than daddy that is. It seemed as everyone did what he asked with a smile and a traditional bow. Daddy always said that it was formal to bow in front of high authority and elders. I had tried to bow to him one day but he got mad at me for accusing that he was old because he sure wasn't of high authority…yet. He always had dreams of being a ninja, but he had said that that was more of Uncle Mina and Aunt Kushi's forte. I had never met them, but dad said that he had once had a huge crush on Aunt Kushi. But when we had to move for reasons that I didn't know of, daddy met mommy. Then he said that mommy was the most photogenic person he knew and back then I didn't know what that meant. Now I know that in a weird way, he was calling my mother the most beautiful person he knew…

268…269…270…271…

The only thing I remember about my mother is her beautiful red hair that I had too inherited. My dad's hair was the color maroon while my mother's was a bright red with scarlet undertones. It was gorgeous, but my hair is an ugly blood red that I've become to only like because I can't see it anymore. I also favored her eyes…that was the last thing I saw as she took her last breath is the hospital. They were the bluest blue I had ever seen in my life, but note that I only saw two pair of eye's in my life time, excluding mine. I don't know why, but my daddy would never tell me the color of my eyes when I asked him. He would just say, 'what color do they feel like?'

591…592…593…594…

I would always say yellow because it was my dad's eye color, but he'd tell me I had part of the answer but not the whole answer, so I'd name all the colors I knew but I's still be wrong. Eventually I gave up wanting to know, but now I want to know even more. Maybe the Hokage will tell me if I ask him.

I let out a tired and shaky breath as I took the last step. Straightening my body, I pumped my fist and gave a triumphant smile to no one in particular. _Yessss! I did it!_ Ok now, the biggest door. How would I know which one is bigger when I don't know what they look like? I'll start from the left and knock on each of the doors. Whichever door makes the loudest echo is the winner. Ok…I rolled up my sleeves as if I was ready to do some dirty work before grabbing the wall again. I found the first door with ease. I slid my hand across it, trying to measure the width of the door with my hands. It's seems as if I stretched both of my hand out and put my back against the door, that my fingers would touch the ends of the door. It was the width of my wingspan…I need to remind myself to find that out later.

With a single knock, which didn't really echo, I moved along the wall to the next door. I lengthened my arms to my wingspan again to check the width of the door, but my fingers didn't reach the sides of the door. _Aha! Jackpot! _I knock on the door twice and had to wince at the sharp echo being thrown back at me. Just how big is this door anyway?

"Come in."

I placed my palm flat on the door before sliding it up, down, and across, searching for a knob of some sorts. If I reached high enough, I felt a handle, so I pulled. The door only budged a little, so I tried again, and again, and again, well at least until I knew I could fit my body into the entrance. Once there was a me-sized opening between the door and the wall, I slid in. I took a few steps forward and waited anxiously.

"I see you had a little work out there. Did you have any difficulty finding my office?"

I shook my head no, whereas my erratic confirmed it as a yes, "Why are there so many stairs?"

My eyes followed the sound of his chuckle. I took a guess, and rested my eyes where I though his would be. I hope I was at least a bit close, and not looking at his nose or something.

"The only thing that'll will better your skills is hand-eye coordination."

"What are you talking about?" I nervously scratched at the back of my head, breaking what I thought was eye contact with the Hokage.

"Well either you like the sight of my nose, or you're blind…how did I know? You're very perceptive, but you are also hesitant in your movements. I was behind you the whole time you were walking up the stairs, and not once did you slip or fall, but you do stop a lot. I assume you were pacing yourself. That's good for a start."

Was he really behind me? If so, then you did I not hear him?

"Mr. Hokage-"

"Call me Hiruzen, girl."

"…Hiruzen, I would like a few favors."

I mentally slapped myself for that one. It makes me sound ungrateful. I was supposed to come in here and beg on my knees for forgiveness and hope he'd forgive me. Then, when all's well, I'd start the conversation of me asking for help.

"I'm listening."

I bit my lips as I heard the rustling of clothes. I imagined that he's crossed his arms and was now glaring at me. Now I'm nervous.

"I...would like to get my own groceries now, by myself."

"Do my grocery list not satisfy you?"

Was he trying to make me guilty, "No! It's just that I need to learn how to be independent. I just turned twelve today, and I want to know how to do things without relying on everyone else when I can do it myself."

"But you're a special case, no?"

I raised my eyebrow in confusion, "Is that a trick question or something?

He chuckled this time, but I didn't find anything funny. I reached up to brush my hand across my face, but felt nothing. Maybe there's something on my face-

"What makes you think you think you can go across a bunch of seeing people and be accepted as one their customers?"

_What! _Is he insulting me? No-maybe he has a point. I don't know what most of the stuff I eat looks like. Or even if it's good for me or-NO! That's what he wants me to think. He wants me to think I can't do it, but I know I can if I try!

"What makes you think I can't?" I challenged defiantly.

"Who will give you money?" He challenged right back.

"I'll just tell the man who comes to my home to send me money from now on." A hand fell on my hip as I shifted all my weight to my left foot.

"Maybe you can start today. How does a weekly allowance sound?"

I sniffed the air…something was burning, "That sounds great, but is something on fire?"

"Hmmm, what you're smelling is the leftover ash from my pipe. I had just pulled it out, wasn't even going to smoke it. Are you sure your and Uzumaki?"

I nodded with a smile, "Proud to be one too," I stuck my thumb out with a cheesy smile, "Wait, you smoke?"

"It relieves stress, you may or may not understand when you grow up…happy birthday"

My face scrunched up at how late he was, "Thanks, also I would like to go to some type of school."

"Really? Then I have a few questions of my own. How many steps did you climb to get up here?"

"693."

"Which hokage am I?"

_Shoot, _"The fourth?"

"Good guess, spell Konoha."

"K-O-N-O-H-A!"

"Ok, do you know how to write?"

"I don't."

"You'll need a tutor then…last question."

"Kay."

"Which means the most? The ninja, the power, the agility, or the respect?"

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed! I love comments, requests, questions, answers, and anything you can give me to critique my story! Tell me what you think about the last question, I Would love feedback! Maybe I'll use it in the story!**

** i90. photobucket albums / k276/alterdragons / Anime / konohasatocopy . jpgt=1268405575 (Remove spaces)**

**Love you, ziyad****ahrs**


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